STRAIGHT-LINE GRAPHS

By Sofia Fernandez
 Learning objectives

- To understand the uses of graphs in real life.

- To differenciate the parts of a graph.

- To find the midpoint of a segment.

- To draw 2D shapes from a set of given points.

- To be able to draw graphs from a given formula.

 What do we use the graphs for in
real life?
- To find the average of sales for a determined period
of time.
- To see how much electricity/water/phone bills are
paid, sorted by periods of time: day by day, weekly,
monthly...
- To find the pattern in the average temperature of a
location.
- Variations in a medical electrocardiogram.
- Petrol consumption.
- Stock markets.
- Science graphs.
 COORDINATES
- They describe the position of a point.
- We refer them from a (0, 0) point, the origin
point in a cartesian graph, where both axis meet.
- Coordinates are written within brackets. The first
number refers to the x-coordinate (horizontal)
whilst the second one makes reference to the
y-coordinate (vertical).
 Example 1
Write down the coordinates of the vertices of the
following triangle ABC.
1. Follow the grid to find the x-
coordinates of vertice A in the X-axis.

2. Follow the grid to find the y-

coordinate of vertice A in the Y-axis.

3. Write them down as:

A (x-coordinate, y-coordinate).

4. Repeat with B and C.

5. The vertices will be:

A (1, 2)
B (5, 6)
C (7, 3)
How to name the parts of a graph
correctly
- The parts of the graph are as follow:
- Name the graph.
Petrol Consumption
- Name the X-axis (what does it
represent?).
Time.
- Name the Y-axis (what does it
represent?).
Number of litres in tank.
- Values in the X-axis (always
equidistant in between).
- Values in the Y-axis (always equidistant in between).
Example 2
Draw the shape ABCD with vertices:
A (-3, 4), B (4, 3), C (3, -2) and D (-6, -3).
 Solution exercises (p. 125-6)
Exercise 1
a) A (0, 0), M (2, 2), Q (1, 3), U (0, 4), Y (4, 4).
b) X-coordinate comes first.

Exercise 4
 Midpoint of a segment
- It is a point halfway between the ends of a finite line
(segment). Every end has a pair of coordinates (x, y).
- It´s calculated as the average (median) of both points,
coordinate by coordinate.
1. We add together the x-coordinates of A
and B and we divide the result by 2.
x = (-2+6)/2 = 4/2 = 2

2. We do the same with the y-coordinates:

- M (2, 3.5)
y = (6+1)/2 = 3.5

3. Our midpoint will be: M (2, 3.5).

This will be useful in trigonometry

to calculate distances, angles, areas
and volumes.
 Solution exercise 2 (p. 127)
1. a) X (-5, 1), Y (3, 5). 2. a) Mx= (1+3)/2 = 4/2 = 2
b) Mx= (-5+3)/2 = -2/2 = -1 My= (0+5)/2 = 5/2 = 2.5
My= (1+5)/2 = 6/2 = 3 M (2, 2.5)
M (-1, 3) b)
c)
 Horizontal and vertical graphs
- Every single horizontal line on a graph has an
equation like y = a , where a is a constant
number since every point on the same horizontal
line has the same y-coordinate (a).
- Every single vertical line on a graph has an
equation like x = b ,
where b is a constant
number since every
point on the same
vertical line has the same
x-coordinate (b).
 Gradients
A gradient of a straight line is the measure of
how steep it is.

When the slope is upwards

from left to right, it has a
positive gradient.
When the slope is
downwards from right to left,
it has a negative gradient.
Example 3
Find the gradient of the line segment AB.
1. Finding out their coordinates:
A (2, 5) and B (6, 2).

2. Using the formula, the gradient is:

Gradient = (2-5)/(6-2) =
(-3)/(-4) = ¾

Because it slopes downwards from left to right, the gradient

is negative, so the final answer will be:
Gradient = - ¾
 Exercise
Find the gradient of the line containing points
P (-3, 1) and Q (4, 5).

1. Calling the coordinates

of P as (x1, y1), and
the ones of Q as
(x2, y2), now we can
use the formula for
gradient.

2. Gradient = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1) = (5-1)/(4-[-3]) = 4/(4+3) = 4/7

3. Because the slope goes upwards from left to right,

the gradient is positive, so gradient = 4/7
 Straight-line formula
The equation of a straight line is normally written as y = mx + c
m and c are numbers, like
y = 3x-2 or y = -2x+3
m is the gradient.
c is the y-intercept.
y-intercept is the point
where the line crosses
the Y-axis).